Communications networks are implemented to enable transport of information among users and devices. Within an enterprise, such as a company, educational organization, or government agency, core networks (metro core networks or campus core networks) are implemented to allow users in different locations (e.g., different offices, different cities, different countries, etc.) to communicate with other users of the enterprise. In some example implementations, a core network can be according to the provider backbone transport (PBT) technology, as defined by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.1ah standard, and/or according to the Provider Link State Bridging (PLSB) technology, which is a point-to-multipoint technology based on IEEE 802.1ah and a Link State Protocol, also referred to as IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System) Protocol, which is defined by ISO/IEC 10589:2002 and described in Request for Comments (RFC) 1142, entitled “OSI IS-IS Intra-Domain Routing Protocol,” dated February 1990.
Core networks are able to implement layer 2 or layer 3 virtualization, in which multiple virtual networks can be defined on the same physical infrastructure that makes up the core network.
Traditionally, core networks are wired networks that allow access by wired user terminals. However, wireless access technologies are becoming increasingly popular, including wireless local area networks (WLANs) that conform to the IEEE 802.11 standards. Conventionally, an efficient mechanism has not been provided to allow user terminals that are attached to a wireless access network to use virtual networks provided by a wired core network.